Sheep Creek - Swamp Canyon Loop

Sheep Creek - Swamp Canyon Loop is a 4.1 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Bryce, Utah that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and birding and is best used from April until November.

this would be an excellent woodland trail, if a controlled burn hadn't gotten out of control and burned about a third of it in 2010, along with much of the Whitman Bench area - as it is, it's partially burned and exposed, with limited views of the hoodoos that visitors come to Bryce to see. also, for whatever reason, visitors tend to get lost on this loop? given the choice, parking at Fairyland and walking out and back, or taking the Fairyland Trail from Sunset Point to Tower Bridge and back, offer better scenery (though this trail is a good way to escape the crowds)

Great hike, went on a day where it was overcast. There was no rain, but it was around 70's so it was perfect weather. From hiking the trail it is not a popular one but still enjoyable and a great alternative to the busier trails around. There is a part on the north side of the trail the follows up a riverbed, didn't know if I was going the right direction, but luckily had a map with me just in case.

No one has hiked this trail for a while. There were a few old tracks in the snow from the trail-head to the Under-the-Rim trail and until the Sheep Creek trail junction. We had to break trail all the way up to the road on the Sheep Creek trail. The snow was anywhere from a few inches deep up to mid thigh in the shaded areas. Because this was the second hike today we opted to walk along the road for the last .7 miles because we were pretty tired from a 12 miles day

This loop hike came out to 4.55 miles for me but I went off trail once for a short distance. I did the loop in a clockwise direction. Total elevation gain was 855'. Over the final climb there is a grade of about 9% for about 1.3 miles. It was difficult for me. This was my first hike at Bryce Canyon and I have since learned that there are no easy climbs out of the canyon. Fairly spectacular but less impressive views than from other trails in the Park. Not a popular trail; in about two and three quarters hours elapsed time I ran across three hikers (well, two hikers, actually), a French couple with a small child in a pack. As with virtually all the other trails in Bryce there is no water so be sure to pack plenty.

This is a great get-away hike in Bryce Canyon. If you're tired of the crowds and groups of hikers who somehow fail to understand trail etiquette (like not walking 5 abreast on a crowded trail and thereby blocking anyone from passing) and you can no longer stand to watch another hiker break the rules and climb on top of the fragile hoodoos for the "perfect picture" then this hike is for you. It's a refreshing stroll through the beautiful pine trees surrounded by hoodoos and fins.

Sure it's not quite as awe-inspiring as the Queens Garden but it's still a lovely hike AND a great stress reliever. We hiked this on the last Saturday of Spring Break and never saw another person. That alone was worth the price of admission. And we got to enjoy our lunch without any crying toddlers whose parents forced to "hike" the more popular trails without water or proper footwear (poor kids).